A bee lands on a wildflower in the gardens at Holliday Park in Indianapolis on Sunday, Oct. 8, 2017. The gardens at the park are cared for with the help of Marion County Master Gardeners, Fall Creek Garden Club, Indiana Daffodil Society, Indiana Daylily-Iris Society and Indianapolis Hosta Society. (Photo: Michelle Pemberton/IndyStar)Buy Photo

Planning to take pictures in a public Indianapolis park? You may need a permit for that.

According to an Oct. 21 Facebook post from Southeastway Park - Indy Parks and Recreation, the Parks and Recreation Department now requires photographers to obtain a permit to conduct photo shoots in a park. The policy left other Facebook users deeply confused and upset.

One commenter asked how "photographer" is defined by the new policy. Others pointed out that parks are public land, and that photographers should be allowed to photograph within them without an extra fee.

In an interview with IndyStar, Ronnetta Spalding, chief communications officer for Indy Parks and Recreation, clarified the policy, which has actually been in place for "a while." Spalding said families taking pictures in parks as keepsakes or individuals snapping photos with their smartphones recreationally are not affected under the policy.

However, those planning to photograph commercially — for example, a photography company taking a customer's high school portraits — must obtain a permit to conduct business, which costs $30 for a full day. The same goes for vendors who sell or promote their services in parks, she said.

There is also a more expensive permit one must purchase to professionally take video in a park. A permit to film for five hours or less costs $200 per day, and a permit for five to 10 hours costs $400 per day.

"We're not out looking for specific equipment," Spalding said. "We are asking individuals to contact us. We want you to work with us."

So don't worry, parkgoers. You can still get that perfect Instagram shot without having to fork over any cash. Commercial photographers and videographers can view the form Indy Parks requests you fill out below:

Andrew Clark is an IndyStar digital producer. Follow him on Twitter: @Clarky_Tweets. Call him at (317) 444-6484 or email him at andrew.clark@indystar.com.